Swedish~ Stereo~

Saturday, March 31, 2012

New Roxette's single "It's Possible" has got its big and beautiful video which is becoming some sort of advert of new album's title - "Travelling". This is probably the most dynamic video of the band since "Room Service" era and just like the song is going to be classic hit of this grand pop-duo.

Two weeks after premiere of new Gravitonas' video "Call Your Name" band is pushing another one for the second best (after "Call Your Name") track from "Black Ceremony" EP - it's a big emotional rock-ballad "The Pain We Love To Hide" saying hello to Finnish mainstream pop-rock bands like HIM and The Rasmus who know how make a good pop-tunes wrapped in a heavy guitar-sound. So it's propably the heaviest Gravitonas' single so far. Video is actually "Call Your Name" with guys singing different lyrics, still very nice grotesque video but nothing new to say about it.

Time for some fresh spring electropop. Stockholm-based duo Wild At Heart consisting of Li Stanley and Erik Lindestad has started working as Cleast Eatwood being founded back in 2008. The band has come under the spotlight with MGMT cover "Electric Feel" and their own track "Get Related" and now they present new single "Darling" co-produced by their friends The Sound Of Arrows which have also got their fame during few last years."Darling" goes more in The Sound Of Arrows' dreamy colourful electropop-direction than in Wild At Heart's soft and minimalistic but also quite beautiful style of previous tracks. So hopefully we have new electropop stars to blow blogging community very soon.

Friday, March 30, 2012

It's almost a month till release of new Kent's album "Jag är inte rädd för mörkret" but right after successful shot of their new single "999" which has gone directly to #1 on iTunes and seems like not gonna give up in a close future band unleashes another song from the album."Ett År Utan Sommar" is gonna be a bonus-track and is sounds like a classic indie-Kent of the first half of 90s, it's relaxed, mostly acoustic and sounds like something that could be released in Sweden anytime during last 20 years and be as successful as it will be in 2012.

Andreas Moe's collaboration with John de Sohn "Long Time" has become golden in Sweden according to Andreas' facebook page. The artist keeps on recording new stuff and don't stop sharing fresh pieces of his music online.This time he has come up with the cover of Lana Del Rey's "Born To Die", it sounds universe away from the original track becoming some sort of Erik Hassle-breathing emotional ballad with minimalistic electronic arrangement beautifully growing to the culmination filled with a sound of squealing guitars. Video has turned pretty dark and dramatic but exactly what was required for this cover.

You probably didn't hear about John Lundvik as a solo-artist yet but you definitely heard some songs written by him like Agnes' "When You Tell the World You're Mine". Last year I told you about the track "Hit The Light" recorded by John with K-One and now finally John starts his artistic career. After the recent collaboration with Petter and Stress - "Sanna Mina Ord" where Johnel has shown the beauty of his r'n'b vocal he goes dancey. Johnel's new single "Save The Moment" recorded with Norwegian band Sirius also contains a huge hip-hop part in verses. Johnel is again responsible for choruses, big club-choruses performed with his wonderful vocal expression.

Niki & The Dove's new euphoric single "Tomorrow" to be out on May 14th gets a wonderful video which (like it usually happens with this band's singles) make the whole concept of Niki & The Dove's music more holistic and accesible, you definitely feel complicated charm of "Tomorrow" with its science-fiction video better.

Getting ready for a weekend we've got some party mood from MF stars of this season with some fresh mixes for their competing entries. Mimi Oh has released a pack of Soundfactory tracks, it's right that sort of schlager-dance mix that you can call a classic Soundfactory-sound.Björn Ranelid's "Mirakel" has got three mixes - clubby Djurpark remix, dance Fas 3 remix featuring new male rap part and retro-version Motown RemixJacob Czitrom who has made the remix for last year's Dilba's "Try Again" has mixed David Lindgren's "Shout It Out" changing tune and wrapping it in modern radio-friendly dance-track still leaving its pop-fascination. And finally lately we get so many worthy "Euphoria" mixes that Loreen could release like 2 maxis but this time I'd like to show you Tiger & Wolf Remix - amazing work and absolute dancefloor stomper.

Thursday, March 29, 2012

Do you remeber about new wonderful artist Lune I've introduced you to last autumn?Lune's debut single "Let Go" was used in in the commercial for jeans campaign "ONLY Because We Can" and was re-released as Neon Remake (you can listen to it below). So no, it's actually not Lune's music video but at least that could serve like it and be a good reason to remind you about this brilliant electropop track with Adrian Lux being producer of this project by the way.

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Here comes the new track from Michael Feiner and as a big fan of music Michael and Eric Amarillo always did I can't help but mentioning this one. New song "I Do" featuring Caisa is one of the poppiest Michael's tracks containing wonderful pop-tune blasting with big trumpet-based choruses feeling like a military orchestra moving to a house dancefloor. You can check preview of the track below.P.S. Updated with new preview.

Last time I was speaking about Bingolotto was one month ago when the show was celebrating 20 years anniversary. Since that it has got some old good MF-stars like Pernilla Wahlgren, Linda Bengtzing, Jenny Silver and also this year's artists (Afro-dite and Sonja Aldén) presenting their new hits. Here you can watch schlageristic collection of their performances.

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

New album of modern Swedish rock-icons Kent "Jag är inte rädd för mörkret" is out on April 25th. Will it be their 10th #1 album (if we count compilation "Kent Box 1991-2008")? I guess so, the interest for this album is huge and presentation of the first single "999" is the evidence that Kent are not gonna disappoint their fans . New single keeps pop-rock direction with a big live sound emphasis band has come back to on the last album "En plats i solen" and it's pretty warm and melodic track with epic drums sounding like a perfect intro for new Kent's era. I guess "liveversion" describes video, not song's version as it seems to be pretty polished, we'll know for sure tomorrow when the single will be out.

Spring wave of creativity from J-Son. Just yesterday I was talking about his new video made for duo with Salem Al Fakir and today we can find his another collaboration with Remady and Manu L "Single Ladies" on the top of Swiss iTunes chart.Previously J-Son already has taken part in some interesting international unions with Norwegian Madcon, Shackles and Dutch DJ Mischa Daniels. New track recorded with Swiss team feels like something that can become a real blast in Europe this year. "Single Ladies" is explosive dance-track containing RedOnesque trendy flirt with old-school eurodance tune wrapped in modern production with both J-Son's rap verses and Manu-L's vocals meeting very well in this summer hit.

Sure you remember lovely Beldina who has recently become our big discovery with a single "Here We Go" that was also mentioned by Perez Hilton and very well deserved.Beldina keeps sharing her beautiful voice bringing new original cover of Rihanna's "We Found Love" mixed with instrumental Dauwd's "Ikopol". The result has turned to a chill-out track going as far from Rihanna's version as you can imagine but it's incredibly enjoyable and Beldina's vocal sound like a pure magic.

Monday, March 26, 2012

We were talking about J-Son singles and videos last year and though Salem Al Fakir never was the most silent artist in Sweden after his participation in Melodifestivalen it feels like we haven't see music videos with him for ages (I don't mean "Keep On Walking" as it was just a documentary cut). Here we get a new one though! And it's made for guys' collaboration "Remedy" - track mixing Salem's melodics and J-Son hip-hop very naturally that has also become really natural and pleasant visually.

Rabih Jaber who has started his solo-career last year and has unleashed already the second wonderful Swedish House Mafia-goes-pop single "Leave The World Behind" in the end of 2011 premieres new video.What you can find a simple lovestory turns pretty unexpected, much deeper, dramatic and serious in the end so you absolutely should watch it in full length below.

Are there any arguments against the fact that making performance with Madonna should be absolute highlight in career of any artist? New star DJ from Sweden Avicii has become lucky to get this highlight. This weekend Avicii was closing Miami Ultra Music Festival and it was Madonna who supported him on the stage when Avicii has presented a new mix of her latest single "Girl Gone Wild". Though Madonna wasn't performing live it was pretty cool watching artists jumping and making audience go wild for real. Videos on youtube are getting removed and added again constantly so if the video doesn't work check it there.

Sunday, March 25, 2012

After Sonja Aldén's participation in Melodifestivalen that hasn't brought as huge success as she's got in 2007 the singer moves on and works on promotion of her new album "I Gränslandet" that was already released and has enetered Swedish chart at #12.We've already got 4 singles from this album - "Innan jag släcker lampan", "Närmre", "I din himmel" and "Ljusa ögonblick" and even not listening to the whole album you can imagine a picture of this spiritual and warm collection of mostly ballad stuff in Sonja's recognizable style. Sonja has managed to visit studio of Nyhetsmorgon performing her previous single "Närmre", Melodifestivalen entry "I din himmel" and another album track "I kärlekens land".

Saturday, March 24, 2012

Starting weekend with some fresh club-stuff. BBC Radio 1 has premiered Avicii's track "Last Dance" that you could have probably already heard before being hardcore-follower of Avicii."Last Dance" is another dancefloor anthem from "Fade Into Darkness" family with piano part becoming part of Avicii's brand getting a nice whistle-sample as a worthy hook feature.To realize how big Avicii currently becomes you can check his appearance in world iTunes charts here.

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

After Loreen has become the most successful non-qualifier of the last year Sean Banan takes this prize in 2012.Single "Sean den förste Banan" has become #3 of Swedish singles-chart right after Loreen and Danny last week. Today Sean presents music video which is a nice cut of fans who were sending clips of them dancing along with the song so here's what we've got.

Adrian Lux is ready to release his massive hits collection on April 3rd. His debut album will include all of his music career biggest highlights - "Can’t Sleep", "Teenage Crime", "Alive", "Fire", "Boy", feels like dance record of the year so far. The only track I'm gonna miss is "Strawberry" which has become a big discovery of Adrian 4 years ago.Instead we get a new single "Burning" that you can already listen to below. It's another strong club-track in Adrian's comfortable area feeling fresh though with Dante's credits vocal after the mostly female vocals on previous singles.

Alexander Bard releases probably the biggest maxi-pack in his discography. Gravitonas' latest single "Call Your Name" is out and it gets heavy support of a massive mixing gang, you can watch whole tracklisting below.Our favorites of the bunch is NORD mix gently changing tune but not stealing its dark pop-awesomeness (the most radio-friendly track I think) and Miami Kidz's one - very summerish work containing Avicii-style keys. The pack in common feels very tight and very 2012.

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Tove Styrke has become a guest of German massive music festival The Dome, big TV-event where you can see some local and foreign artists on the peak of popularity in country. Currently Tove works on international breakthrough and "Call My Name" has become a track team promotes so Tove has performed with all her sweetness and artistic madness we love.

Monday, March 19, 2012

Youngblood have entered Swedish chart with their debut album "Running Home To You" at #10 last week. Quite promising start, summer tours and performances in pop-festivals will definitely give guys long life in chart.You can listen to samples of the album here noticing Fredrik Kempe, David Kreuger, Jörgen Elofsson, Fredrik Thomander, Sharon Vaughn and many other recognizable songwriters. Personally I haven't become addicted to a ballad part of the album but finally I've got sold on next two tracks which are quite worth mentioning. K-One has become a producer of dance-track "Play My Song" sounding in a style of the first Eric Saade's album when he was one foot in his boyband past. Fredrik Kempe stands behind it and you definitely can feel his hand. Another Jörgen Elofsson-penned track "American Girlfriend" has become a nice male version of Avril Lavigne's "What The Hell". You can listen to both of them in full versions below.

Both Adrian Lux and Kent have some great things coming very soon.Kent's new album "Jag Är Inte Rädd För Mörkret" will be released on April 25th presented by the single "999" to be out already on March 28th. And Adrian Lux's album originally planned on March 7th should be out very soon too.Jokke Berg was invited to take part in one of Adrian's album track "All I Ever Wanted" - so Jocke sings in English and he sings dance-music. I don't have a doubt Kent's fans will forgive him, the track is really pleasant slightly smelling with Adrian's single "Alive".

Mimi Oh starts working on promotion of her latest single "Det går för långsamt" that has become one of the most colourful highlights of this schlager-season for us.Right after the pack of Soundfactory mixes which is already released and we're waiting for its online-presentation to share with you the girl brings pretty adorable acoustic performance of the song. Beautiful tune and Mimi's voice makes electropop track easily transforming to its lovely calm version. Check it!

Sunday, March 18, 2012

Melodifestivalen-2001 winners Nina Inhammar and Kim Kärnfalk have come back to participate in Så ska det låta against another schlager-icons Lili & Susie.After split of Friends they've made their breakthrough winning Melodifestivalen with Nina and Kim have started working in duo releasing new album, coming back to MF and even making Stockholm Pride-anthem in 2004. We didn't hear anything new from girls since that so it was especially great watching them performing not just "Lyssna till ditt hjärta" but also "Waterloo" and "Diggi-Loo Diggi-Ley". Can Christer Björkman bring girls back next year? Yes, we've got two MF-winners flopping at MF-2012 but surely it was an exception and everything will be absolutely different next time, no?Watch the show in its full version here.

"Euphoria" keeps spreading all over, the song has entered Finnish chart at #1 this week which is incredible result for the winner of Scandinavian selection so long before Eurovision.Earlier this week Loreen has become a guest of "Let's talk HIV" auction where she has performed acoustic version of "Euphoria" backed by Oscar Görres who was responsible for acoustic version of Linda Pritchard's "Alive" last year. Strings have given amazing Apocalyptica feeling with its epic and utterly dramatic sound. Below you can also check recent live performance in Västerås, one fan-cover (we get LOADS on youtube but I like this one especially much) and Carli mix - which is another official one from EP of mixes released few days ago (hope you haven't miss Alex Moreno's mix).

Thursday, March 15, 2012

Fresh international breakthrough from Sweden Niki & The Dove finally release debut album "Instinct" on May 14.After a series of pretty strong singles making fame of this project abroad much faster than anyone could imagine Niki & The Dove have collected their singles and what was released as b-sides, have added new single "Tomorrow" and have presented it on BBC Radio 1. "Tomorrow" sounds quite representative for the whole concept of the project with all corresponding magic atmosphere and adorable tunes growing epic in choruses, it's probably the most melodic and the happiest work of Niki & The Dove.

Idol-2012 runner-up Robin Stjernberg works hard on solo-career. His debut album "My Versions" has become #1 in Sweden and Robin keeps recording new stuff, we can check the result of process held in studio since Idol final already now.New Robin's single "On My Mind" is presented with new video and it feels like a great follow-up of "All This Way", it's a pop-rock track with all its beautiful growth you can expect from Idol winning track and Robin vocally giving all extra he's able to give making extremely high notes. "On My Mind" is very summerish and modern so Robin gets it as a good card to present himself during summer pop-festivals.By the way special kudos to Robin for inviting our another Idol-favorite Amanda Persson to take part in video.

It's a big week for Gravitonas's fans, the band presents a video for the latest single "Call Your Name" that has already got success on the radio in Eastern Europe and finally new EP "Black Ceremony" is out and you can already get a listen below.Though "Call Your Name" has become surprising turn of band's direction to a club territorry whole EP sounds completely different refflecting the title, it's much darker, slower and rockier. Biggest highlights of "Black Ceremony" is epic rock-ballad "The Pain We Love To Hide" and "Live And Let Go" that sounds like a rock-sister of Robyn's "With Every Heartbeat". Army Of Lovers's fans will also be plesantly surprised finding dance-track "Sacrifice" - remaking chorus of "Crucified" and at the same time sounding quite BWOesque in verses.In common EP feels like a new era for the band and this era is celebrated with "Black Ceremony".

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

New Miike Snow's album "Happy To You" is coming out these days and the band presents brand new video for another album track "The Wave".Plot of this video continues what we saw in previous "Paddling Out" and "Devil’s Work" after the starship with kidnapped and turned to dancing half-mannequins people has fallen down to Earth and you probably thought that the story was finished? Check it's bizarre and wonderful at the same time follow-up.

Lorine Zineb Noka Talhaoui has won Melodifestivalen with the song "Euphoria" written by Thomas G:son and Peter Boström beating all records and becoming #1 favorite of Eurovision-2012. "Euphoria" has become a winning song collecting the biggest quantity of Melodifestivalen final votes ever. Right after the final when MF compilation was out - both single and compilation version have become #1 and #2 on iTunes, currently Loreen is #1 in Finland, #3 in Norway and currently climbs up in Denmark (#43). Scandinavia definitely feels "Euphoria" and even non-scnadinavic countries fall for it. You can already listen to the song on the radio in Belarus and Russia. Everyone speaks about Sweden winning Eurovision this year and personally I'm gonna be one of the happiest people in the world if it'll happen as this combination of amazing song and completely unreal artist is one the best things happening with Eurovision for a long time. Congratulations, Loreen! Congratulations, Peter and Thomas! Congratulations, Sweden! You've made the right decision.Today we have a pack of "Euphoria" mixes released digitally and below you can check one of them. It's made by Alex Moreno and it's quite strong radio-friendly Avicii-breathing club-track.

Charlotte Perrelli's album is finally out this week, grand pop-compilation including tracks from Fredrik Kempe, Tony Nilsson, Sharon Vaughn, Fredrik Thomander, Johan *Star Pilots* Becker and many others that I was talking about before and which absolutely can't disappoint.Probably the biggest diamond of this album is out online and you can listen to it already. Charlotte has joined forces with Kate Ryan to record the song "Little Braveheart" written by Fredrik Kempe, Alexander Jonsson and Elias Kapari. Alexander and Fredrik have already written comeback single "The Girl" for Charlotte but this song has nothing to do with disco-sound of that one. "Little Braveheart" sounds modern, international and very RedOne, you can easily imagine it as a new JLo's dance-single, one of the biggest pop-goodies of this schlager-season.

Monday, March 12, 2012

Annual tradition of Melodifestivalen is inviting some non-schlager artist to make cover of previous winning song. This time SVT has made exception, cover of Eric Saade's "Popular" was made not less than by Eurovision-2005 winner Helena Paparizou who has delievered her very special version growing from Broadway musical sound to electropop heavy beat. Does it mean Christer Björkman is halfway from getting Helena to MF as an artist?

Moa Lignell has become a phenomenon of the last Idol season when she has appeared at auditions with self-written song "When I Held Ya" which has left juries and the rest of Sweden under a huge impression. Moa has got her golden ticket to the show and has become 3rd not reaching the final afterwards. But when her song was officially out as a debut single it has directly charted in Top-10 and spreaded all over the radio.Video for debut Moa's single was shot in Canada and today you can finally watch it online.

Friday, March 9, 2012

Rebecca and Fiona have presented the teaser to their new video "Dance" back in December - something that we have even forgotten to expect 3 months later but finally here's a full video.Right as melancholic heavy electropop track with definite Kleerup influences the video has become pretty mystic, dark and absolutely worth waiting.

Wednesday, March 7, 2012

Darin has made impressive comeback with new dance single "Nobody Knows" earlier this year and now he prepares 2 new mini-albums - one will be out already in April (April 14th as preliminary date) and the second - in August. Darin was working with Tony Nilsson, Lukas Nate Nathanson, RedOne and Arnthor Birgisson among others so this record is one of the most exciting releases of this year.Yesterday Darin performed some of his old and new stuff in Stockholm's Nalen. You can watch him singing already well-known hits "Step Up", "Runaway", "Breathing Your Love", "Nobody Knows", "Viva La Vida" on youtube. But what is the most interesting he has performed completely new song "Right To This Point" - dark electronic pulsating track with Darin obviously coming back to his dance-area after Lovekiller ballad-period.

New SoFo Records artists Rob & Nino's finally release new single "Freak" featuring Lazee we told not so long ago about.As it was expected from the snippet "Freak" has become a big club-track with a nice party-video, modern international sound and the chorus which is catchy as hell!For everyone who has got not enough of party in this pack guys have released EP with mixes which I hope they'll present online soon.

Mariette Hansson from Idol-2009 unleashes new track "Talk Talk" she worked on in PomP Studio lately.Mariette or MaryJet has released her first single "Forever" since participation in the show last September. "Forever" has become a really good surprise blending guitar pop roots of MaryJet with fresh electronic production and "Talk Talk" goes in the same vein. It's much calmer and sounds more relaxed than "Forever" but again very well-produced and have utterly charming melody nicely opening in a chorus.

Tuesday, March 6, 2012

Andreas Moe who has already received his first big international success after becoming a vocalist of Avicii's "Fade Into Darkness" now gets into the spot for real. His collaboration with John de Sohn "Long Time" has already become a hit of digital sales and now they also unleash new video where Andreas gets a role of referee behind bloody kids fight. Too bloody if you ask me but you can check and judge yourself.

Ulrik Munther has become another Melodifestivalen finalist to present his song "Soldiers" in acoustic version, really nice black and blue record which is more music video than some ordinary fast live recording. Efforts of the team behind this guy deserve respect. And I wish the best of luck to Ulrik on Saturday.

Fourth track from Tove Styrke's debut album - "Bad Time For A Good Time" was chosen as the next single. The song was already released on iTunes being updated with a rap-parts of new Swedish artist Gnucci Banana and it gets a video you can check below.The song is one of my personal (multiple) favorites from this album but I'm still wondering if it was a right desicion to put rap into it. Though as female rap gets trendy these days this experiment was worth making.

One of the best and the most underestimated songs of this MF-season - "Förlåt Mig" performed by Mattias Andréasson was covered by vocalist of the band Snöblind we've put under the spot in 2011 - Jim Almgren.Jim was initially discovered for Sweden on Idol-2005, then he has become a guitar player in well-known American rock-band Carolina Liar and now he works in Snöblind. You absolutely should check two pretty cool Shellback-produced singles they released not so long ago.Jim's "Förlåt Mig" has logically got rockier-sound, not too heavy and not universe away from original but with a proper impression and nice guitar layer.

Saturday, March 3, 2012

One week left before Melodifestivalen-2012 grand final and participants of this year present their songs on TV-shows, record promo-stuff for web and doing all the rest to get more attention bonuses in this really short period.Below you can watch performances of Molly Sandén visiting Nyhetsmorgon with "Why Am I Crying?", "Spread A Little Light" and Whitney's "I Have Nothing" (and two first ones in XL Live), Danny Saucedo and Lisa Miskovsky with acoustic versions of their songs and Sean Banan performing his schlager-entry in Nyhetsmorgon.Tonight Sweden will decide who will be the last two finalists of this year. You can watch rehearsals of Andra Chansen on SVT site (just scroll down a bit).